Fire

Fire is a form of combustion. Most typically, the word fire refers to the combination of the brilliant glow and large amount of heat released during a rapid, self-sustaining exothermic oxidation process of combustible gases ejected from a fuel. The flames are a body of plasma that releases heat and light. Fires start when a fuel is subjected to heat or another energy source, e.g. a match or lighter, and are sustained by the further release of heat energy until all the combustible fuel is consumed.

Fire and culture

Fires and burning have often been used in religious rites and symbolism, as the smoke of the fire disperses into the heavens. Fire is one of the four classical elements, as well as one of the five Chinese elements. In Hinduism fire is one of five sacred elements of which all living creatures are comprised and is considered an eternal witness essential to sacred religious ceremonies. In Christianity, fire is a symbol of the Holy Ghost and is often used in descriptions of Hell. Fire is a symbol of Ahura Mazda, or God, of the Zoroastrian religion. A Zoroastrian church is known as a Fire Temple. Fire is also an important part of Calcinatio, the fire operation in the art of alchemy. In Greek mythology, Prometheus is the Titan chiefly honored for stealing fire from the gods in the stalk of a fennel plant and giving it to mortals for their use. In Judaism fire also has great significance, candles are lit to usher in holidays and to seperate Shabbat from the rest of the week, as well as to remember the dead; another important fire symbol is the Eternal Flame, which was a fire kept in the First and Second Temple was never supposed to go out.

Related Topics:
Religious - Smoke - Classical element - Five Chinese elements - Hinduism - Christianity - Symbol - Holy Ghost - Hell - Ahura Mazda - Zoroastrian - Fire Temple - Calcinatio - Alchemy - Prometheus - Titan - Judaism - Shabbat

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Fire is also an important aspect of contemporary culture. The Burning Man festival is a week long event held in the United States. It culminates with the burning of a large wooden sculpture of a man on saturday night, the sixth night of the event.

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Fire is often used in animation as a furtherance of plot. Bugs Bunny often used it to play pranks on his rivals, such as lighting a match underneath a foe's foot. Scooby Doo has been frightened several times by monsters that used fire to further their schemes. Homer Simpson has the odd habit of lighting alternately himself, his place of employment, or his home on fire on a comically routine basis. Indeed, even the cyber world is affected by fire. The Homestar Runner web site has a character named Trogdor, the Burninator. He is a dragon whose favorite pastime is to 'burninate', a slang word meaning to annihilate by burning.

Related Topics:
Animation - Bugs Bunny - Rivals - Scooby Doo - Homer Simpson - Homestar Runner - Trogdor - Burninator - Dragon

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